THE PHAEACIANS
The next day the King arose at dawn, as also did Ulysses, and the
King led the way to the place of assembly. Meanwhile Athene,
wearing the guise of the King's herald, went throughout the city,
and to each man she said, "Come to the assembly, captains and
counsellors of the Phaeacians, that ye may learn concerning this
stranger, who hath lately come to the hall of Alcinous."
So she roused their desire, and the place of assembly was filled
to the utmost; much did the men marvel to see Ulysses, for Athene
had poured marvellous grace upon him, making him fairer and taller
and stronger to see.
Then the King rose up and spake: "Hearken, captains and
counsellors of the people, to what I say. This stranger hath come
to my hall; I know not who he is or whence he comes, whether it be
from the rising or the setting of the sun; and he prays that he
may be safely carried to his home. Let us therefore choose a ship
that hath never sailed before, and two and fifty youths that are
the best to ply the oar; and when ye have made ready the ship,
then come to my house and feast; I will provide well for all. Bid.
also, Demodocus [Footnote: De-mod'-o-cus.] the minstrel to come,
for the gods have given to him above all others the gift of song
wherewith to rejoice the hearts of men."
Then they did as the King counselled. They made ready the ship,
and moored her by the shore, and after that they went to the
palace of the King. From one end thereof to the other it was
crowded, for many were there, both young and old. And Alcinous
slew for them twelve sheep, and eight swine, and two oxen; and his
men prepared for the people a goodly feast.
Then came the servants of the King, leading the blind minstrel by
the hand. The servants set him in a silver chair, in the midst of
the guests, and hung a harp above his head, and showed him how he
might reach his hand to take it. And close by his side they placed
a table and a basket and a cup of wine, that he might drink at his
pleasure.
So the Phaeacians feasted in the hall; and when they had had
enough of meat and drink, then the minstrel sang. He sang a song,
the fame of which had reached to heaven, of the quarrel between
Ulysses and Achilles, when they were fighting to capture Troy.
But as the minstrel sang, Ulysses held his purple cloak before his
face, for he was ashamed to weep in the sight of the people.
Whensoever the singer ceased from his song, then did Ulysses wipe
away the tears; but when he began again, for the chiefs loved to
hear the song, then again he covered his face and wept. But none
noted the thing but Alcinous.
Then the King said to the chiefs, "Now that we have feasted and
delighted ourselves with song, let us go forth, that this stranger
may see that we are skilful in boxing and wrestling and running."
Then stood up many Phaeacian youths, and the fairest and strongest
of them all was Laodamas, eldest son to the King, and they ran a
race, and wrestled, and threw quoits, and leaped.
Then Laodamas said to Ulysses, "Wilt thou not try thy skill in
some game, and put away the trouble from thy heart?"
But Ulysses answered: "Why askest thou this? I think of my
troubles rather than of sport, and care only that I may see again
my home."
Then said another: "And in very truth, stranger, thou hast not the
look of a wrestler or boxer. Rather would one judge thee to be
some trader, who sails over the sea for gain."
"Nay," answered Ulysses, "this is ill said. True it is that the
gods give not all gifts to all men, beauty to one, and sweet
speech to another. Fair of form art thou; no god could better
thee; but thou speakest idle words. I am not unskilled in these
things, but stood among the first in the old days; but since have
I suffered much in battle and shipwreck. Yet will I make trial of
my strength, for thy words have angered me."
Whereupon, clad in his mantle as he was, he took a quoit, heavier
far than such as the Phaeacians were wont to throw, and sent it
with a whirl. It flew through the air, so that the brave
Phaeacians crouched to the ground in fear, and it fell far beyond
all the rest.
Then Athene, for she had taken upon herself the guise of a
Phaeacian man, marked the place where it fell, and spake, saying:
"Stranger, verily, even a blind man might find this token of thy
strength, for it is not lost among the others, but lies far beyond
them. Be of good courage, therefore, in this contest; none of the
Phaeacians shall surpass thee."
Then was Ulysses glad, seeing that he had a friend among the
people, and he said: "Now match this throw, young men, if ye can.
Soon will I cast another after it, as far, or further yet. And, if
any man is so minded, let him rise up and contend with me, for I
will match myself in wrestling or boxing, or even in the race,
with any man in Phaeacia, save Laodamas only, for he is my friend.
I can shoot with the bow; and I can cast a spear as far as other
men can shoot an arrow. But as for the race, it may be that some
one might outrun me, for I have suffered much on the sea."
But they were all silent, till the King stood up and said: "Thou
hast spoken well. But we men of Phaeacia are not mighty to wrestle
or to box; only we are swift of foot and skilful to sail upon the
sea. And we love feasts, and dances, and the harp, and gay
clothing, and the bath. In these things no man may surpass us."
Then the King bade Demodocus the minstrel to sing again. And when
he had done so, the King's two sons danced together; and
afterwards they played with the ball, throwing it into the air,
cloud high, and catching it right skilfully.
And afterwards the King said: "Let us each give this stranger a
mantle and a tunic and a talent of gold."
Then all the princes brought their gifts. And Alcinous said to the
Queen: "Lady, bring hither a chest, the best that thou hast, and
put therein a robe and a tunic. And I will give our guest a fair
golden cup of my own, that he may remember me all the days of his
life, when he poureth out offerings to the gods."
Then the Queen brought from her chamber a fair chest, and put
therein the gifts which the princes had given; also with her own
hands she put therein a robe and a tunic. And she said:--
"Look now to the lid, and tie a knot, that no man rob thee by the
way, when thou sleepest in the ship."
So Ulysses fixed well the lid, and tied it with a cunning knot
which Circe had taught him. After that he went to the bath. As he
came from the bath Nausicaa met him by the entering in of the
hall, and marvelled at him, so fair was he to look upon. And she
spake, saying: "Stranger, farewell. But when thou comest to thine
own country, think upon me once and again, for indeed thou owest
to me the price of thy life."
Ulysses made answer to her, "Nausicaa, if Zeus grant me safe
return to my home, I will do honour to thee as to a goddess,
forever; for indeed I owe thee my life."
Then he went into the hall, and sat down by the side of the King,
and the squire came leading the blind minstrel by the hand. Now
Ulysses had cut off a rich portion from the chine [Footnote:
chine, backbone.] of a boar that had been set before him, and he
said to the squire: "Take this and give it to Demodocus, for the
minstrel should be held in honour by men."
So the squire bare the dish, and set it on the knees of the
minstrel, rejoicing his heart.
When they all had had enough of food and drink, then Ulysses spake
to the minstrel, saying: "Demodocus, I know not whether the gods
have taught thee, but of a truth thou singest of all the toil and
trouble that the Greeks endured before the great city of Troy as
if thou hadst thyself been there. Come, now, sing to us of the
Horse of Wood, and how Ulysses contrived that it should be taken
up into the citadel of Troy when he had filled it with the bravest
of the chiefs. Sing me this aright, and I will bear witness for
thee that thou art indeed a minstrel whom the gods have taught."
Then did the minstrel sing this song. He told how one part of the
Greeks set fire to their camp, and embarked upon their ships, and
sailed away; and how the other part--Ulysses and his comrades--sat
hidden in the Horse which the men of Troy had dragged with their
own hands into their place of assembly. All about sat the people,
and three counsels were given. The first was to cleave the wood,
and the second to drag it to the brow of the hill and cast it down
thence, and the third to leave it as an offering to the gods; and
the third counsel prevailed, for it was the doom of the city that
it should perish through the Horse.
Also the minstrel sang how the chiefs came forth from the Horse,
and went through the city, wasting it; and much also of Ulysses
and his brave deeds.
Thus did the minstrel sing, and the heart of Ulysses was melted
within him as he listened, and the tears ran down his cheeks.
But none of the company, save King Alcinous only, noticed this.
Then the King spake, saying: "Hearken, ye princes of the
Phaeacians, and let Demodocus cease from his singing, for since he
set his hand to the harp, this stranger hath not ceased to weep.
Let, therefore, the minstrel cease, and let us make merry and
rejoice as it is fitting to do. Are we not met together that we
may give gifts to this stranger, and send him to his home? And
hide not thou, stranger, from us aught that I shall ask thee. Tell
us by what name they call thee at home, for no man lacketh a name.
Tell us also of thy land and thy city, that our ships may shape
their course to take thee thither. For these are not as the ships
of other men, that have steersmen and rudders. They have an
understanding of their own, and know all the cities of men, and
they pass over the deep, covered with cloud, and have no fear of
wreck. But my father was wont to say that Poseidon bore a grudge
against us because we carry all men safely to their homes; and
that one day he would smite a ship of ours as it came home from
such an errand, changing it to a rock that should overshadow our
city. But thou, stranger, tell us of thyself,--whither thou hast
wandered, and what cities thou hast seen, be they cities of the
unrighteous, or cities of them that are hospitable to strangers
and fear the gods. Tell us, too, why thou didst weep at hearing of
the tale of Troy. Hadst thou, perchance, a kinsman, or a friend--
for a wise friend is ever as a brother--among those that perished
at Troy?"